(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-995G-4a, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Zanesville, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 995G-4a. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 995G-4a) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 11 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 995G-4a